Don’t lose hope in Drew Allar just yet. He may not have been a popular choice when the Pittsburgh Steelers selected him 76th overall in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft, but his future is far from certain. Allar enters the league as a project player, partly because Penn State did not fully explore different ways to develop his skill set. That lack of development could impact his trajectory.
During an appearance on the 93.7 The Fan morning show, Penn State associate head coach Terry Smith discussed the program’s failure to properly develop Drew Allar. He explained at length how the Penn State football program did not adequately support Allar’s progression as a quarterback. That shortcoming could also suggest that Allar still has untapped potential.
"I've been know as the truth teller at Penn State." Smith continued, "I think unfairly to Drew our system wasn't built for him. It wasn't made for him. Some of the decisions were taken out of his control."
No one should expect the Penn State product to become a franchise quarterback. Players of that caliber are rarely found in the third round of the NFL Draft. That said, in a relatively weak class of quarterbacks, Allar has as good a chance as anyone to succeed at the next level. He has all the tools to work with; it’s simply a matter of unlocking his potential in Pittsburgh.
The Pittsburgh Steelers should have hope for Drew Allar after comments by his former coach
Fans have been unhappy since Allar was announced as one of the Steelers’ top selections in the draft. Their frustration is understandable. According to most consensus draft boards, he was considered an overdraft, with projections placing him later in the third round or, by many accounts, on Day 3 of the event.
Selecting a quarterback that early, while other pressing needs remained, appears to be a questionable decision.
Smith’s recent comments should help ease some concerns about Allar. He essentially acknowledged that Penn State failed the quarterback by not providing enough resources to develop him into an NFL-caliber player ahead of the draft. Smith also indicated that the program did not build the offense around its signal-caller or explore different ways to help him grow and succeed.
You shouldn’t view Allar as a potential steal of the NFL Draft anytime soon, but Smith’s recent comments should be taken seriously.
The Steelers’ new quarterback had limited talent around him at Penn State, and his coaching staff was not in a position to help him develop into a top-tier prospect. Ultimately, everything will depend on whether Allar has enough remaining potential to grow into a standout player.
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